The Australia plan
With the dead period expiring at 11:59.99 on Wednesday night, the mad scramble for football prospects begins. (I guess we all had to wait for Alabama and Clemson to get settled.)
But the Warriors proved last week it is thinking outside the geographical box by planting its recruiting flag on Australia soil. For the Warriors, the future is Australia (and not just because the country is 21 hours ahead.) Here’s why the pipeline makes sense:
> Geography 101: Even with a 10-hour flight, Hawaii is still an Australian’s nearest option to fulfill the American football dream. Baylor offensive lineman Blake Muir was at UH for two years before transferring. Georgia Tech defensive tackle Adam Gotsis considered the Warriors before joining a team whose head coach (Paul Johnson) was once part of a UH coaching staff that taught a clinic in Sydney. Muir and Gotsis are considered NFL prospects. Offensive lineman Jesse Williams committed to UH (twice) failed to meet the requirements (twice) and eventually started for Alabama a couple years ago.
> UH-friendly: From Colin Scotts to Scott Harding, the Warriors have had their share of Australian players. One of the most influential former Warriors is Paul Manera, who was an offensive lineman on the 1992 Holiday Bowl team. Manera runs a sports program in Sydney that employs 40 coaches and works with up to 2,000 athletes a week. Assembly is required, with many combining the skills of rugby, Australian rules football and flag football. Manera has encouraged football enthusiasts to consider his alma mater first.
> Geography 102: The way the world is constructed, Australia’s summers are our winters. The point is, Australia’s high school year ends in December. That means a prospect will be available for a college’s spring semester or, more practically, he can train during the so-called gap year, then enroll at college the following spring. Either way, a player will have an extra semester advantage before his first college season. Add in a redshirt season, and a team will have an older, more mature, and more physical player than a typical freshman.
> Australia-friendly: A couple years ago, Norm Chow sent offensive line coach Chris Naeole on a recon trip to Australia. Naeole discovered a lot of raw but rugged and intelligent talent. Naeole’s best work has been in developing smart and physical linemen, such as Dejon Allen, Asotui Eli and Elijah Tupai. Naeole was the point recruiter in landing recent commit Max Hendrie.
* * * * *
Things have come a long way since the basketball team tried to recruit 7-foot-2 Luc Longley in the 1980s. Longley signed with New Mexico before advancing to a lengthy NBA career. But Longley’s mother was so impressed with basketball coach Riley Wallace’s presentation she ended up enrolling at UH.
* * * * *
Aaron Iyomasa passed away last night.
He was one of the good ones.
We’ll miss him.
sounds like an awesome plan. Australia seems to be a basketball hotbed in recent years. we looking at any more aussies for 2016?
any visitors expected this weekend?
jesse williams and blake muir could’ve gone down in history as great australian warriors…. if only
I remember Mrs. Longley, all 6 feet 7 inches if her.
We need another Austrailian punter.
we can get an australian punter next year. we still have Rigo for 1 more season.
Have always believed that we should be recruiting in Aotearoa.
Hopefully extending our recruiting in the Pacific rim will lay the foundation to PAC-14 membership…think outside the box 🙂
6.
Yes! For football and basketball.
#5 – yes, that’s what I am saying. You recruit today for next year.
prefer to focus on the 2016 class for now, at least until signing day.
Who were some of the more popular Maori players that played in the NFL? I can only think of three. But I’m sure there were more. Riki (Gray) Ellison in the 80’s, Edwin Mulitalo formerly with the Ravens, Ropati Pitoitua 6-8 295 defensive end currently with the Titans.
How about a walk-on like Hunter Renfrow, only 5-10, 175 lbs. or a TE a little close to
OJ Howard, both who don’t seem to drop many balls.
GOOD MORNING, HAWAII!
Kifi: Forgot his name – age is catching up with me – but we had a terrific lineman at UH from NZ many years ago. Wonder why we haven’t mined that area for a while.
#13 – Mark Nua
Maybe Max Hendrie can punt so we don’t have to burn more scholarships on punters. But we have Trifonovich for 4 more years so That better work out
About six years ago, Mark Nua attempted to get his nephew into UH. Young man was 6-7 295. Slim and trim. Couldn’t get the academic paperwork to transfer over.
#15 – We’re good for a few more years then. Hopefully we have a full 25 schollies to work with next year.
talking about Travis Nua ?
One thing I like about this staff is they are recruiting for a few years ahead hopefully this will allow us to make headway with these recruits especially if a few of them have great junior and senior seasons
Blake’s younger brother Sean……an interior OL……had also been offered a greyshirt scholie by Gordy Shaw…….but that all disappeared when Chow came on-board…….whereas Baylor offered the package deal…….which the Muir family just couldn’t afford to pass up.
Mathis, Holly & Hawthorne supposedly among those mainland visitors tripping UH this coming weekend.
Sad to report that……my buddy Aaron is now in heaven.
http://hawaiiwarriorworld.com/warrior-beat/positive-thoughts-for-a-good-guy
https://www.gofundme.com/26hudb6c
Deepest sympathy & sincere condolences to wife Lois and the Iyomasa family.
Will miss Macho Moose forever!
Austin Dixon OT 6’6″ 265 Arizona also visiting on 1/15
RIP Aaron. My condolences to your entire family.
Luc Longely is a blast from the past–and MJ made him a bunch of money. I spent a superbowl in the early 90s with Luc–Luc back in the day had a great fondness for pakal@l@—wink.
Time for UH to update coaching staff on website. Seeing how how some teams make changes the following day. UH is sloooooooooow. Details, details, details.
Scott Harding potential GA?
What happened to Freddie Holly’s ASU commitment? He would be a great pick up. I wonder if his Scout verified time of 4.71 scared ASU off.
I think Luc Longley’s dad was a visiting professor at UH, too. Luc’s brother, Griffin, went to UH Lab School for a year and tried to teach us to play Aussie Rules Football.
Aotearoa and Oz – there’s gold in them thar lands. Abundance of big, strong, speedy athletes. Another Harding would be very nice to have. Couldn’t help but think of him watching the punters in yesterday’s game. Like the idea of him as a GA.
It is wise for Hawa’i to throw a wide net down under, the potential is there.
Go Warriors!. Hawaii should recruiting more kids from Australia and Canada. Because they are a lot’s of great players. They can really help support there program!. Just like they’re softball team! But the Hawaii really seriously needs is some 300 lb. Whom can runs like a widereceiver and runningback. Can you picture this a 350lb. Linebacker end to end and hit you !. 335lb. Running back runs a 100 yard touchdown as easy it did!. You have to remember this Hawaii! There are teams in other conference have 300 and more plays football!. Like, I have told you peoples! They are a TE from Baylor is 410 lb. And Alabama have a few 300 and more plays for them and so many others!
Let’s recruit more Aussies and may be New Zealanders!!
Meanwhile, back at the ranch:
http://www.staradvertiser.com/sports/sports-breaking/uh-asks-legislature-for-3-5-million-for-athletics/
Guv said no, now its time to see what the legislature says.
meanwhile, back at another ranch …
this guy goes 7 – 6, and gets a raise …
New Mexico: Head coach Bob Davie has agreed to a two-year extension through 2021, with a $50,000 raise to more than $820,000 annually. Davie has led the program since 2013 and went 7-6 this season, earning the program’s first bowl since 2007.
Recruit Tonga lots of big kids, there also western samoa….
ST,
What’s the American Samoa plan?
ST,
What (if any) is the Tonga, Western Samoa and/or New Zealand plan(s) too?
Regarding the state legislature, did you know this? “The 51 members of the House are elected to two-year terms without term limits. The 25 members of the Senate are elected to four-year terms, also without term limits. Like many other state legislatures in the United States, the Hawaii State Legislature is a part-time body and legislators often have active careers outside of government.”
31 agree. Who better than Harding to assist aussie players trying to adjust to american football.
Hope UH doesn’t overlook the Pacific NW (Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and Canada. No disrespect to Australia, which is nice and sounds romantic, but there are also a lot of talented players up in the Great North, particularly in the Vancouver, BC area. Shorter flight to Hawaii, too.
like some of the other posters mentioned, we got a boatload of recruits coming in on Thursday. prob won’t hear of any commits since almost all of them are entertaining multiple offers but hoping rolo’s message resonates with some of them. it’s nice to be in the hunt and battling other programs for legit d1 guys. haven’t felt this way about recruiting in a long time.
Anyone else coming this weekend? I think Dru Mathis would be the most likely not to accept an offer although I hope he does. He’s got SEC and Pac 12 offers from Vanderbilt and OSU and Cal (I believe). He looks like he’s friends with Holly so would be great if they both committed. Austin Dixon looks like he’s leaning to Boise so if we get him that’s a great way to get another win over them. lol. Although I don’t know if he’s better than Hawthorne.
Big Fan…I think there is some connection between Mathis and Dylan Collie, too.
lest we forget that 10 UH coaches from other sports will accompany the football team to recruit Australia
now, how to get the word out with least expense?
who, at UH, would be responsible for this? and what is that person(s) doing?
31.
I did not know that.
I just knew the story about the mother enrolling at UH while her son was choosing between the ‘Bows and New Mexico.
Terry Houston at the buzzer on a shot partially blocked by Longley that deflected into the twining at “The Pit” is one of the great forgotten moments in Hawaii athletics lore. Nobody seems to remember this game.
I just got through David Bowie’s “Blackstar”. There is a section in the title track that melodically resembles Keola and Kapono Beamer’s “Honolulu City Lights”.
Now that we are thinking out of the box. An emerging source of excellent potential college football players: Nigeria. A few US Universities are starting recruit at American football camps in Africa. Look at all the Nigerian-Americans in the NFL now and there is a lot of potential in recruiting out of high schools and club teams.
#47 cappie
Don’t forget the year before, in Riley’s first year when he went 4-25 but one of those wins was against twin 7-footers Longley and Loefl. New Mexico came in ranked #18 after beating #1 Arizona that year.
Reggie Cross was the man that night, thoroughly outplaying Luc even standing at 6′-8″.
One of the most satisfying wins I’ve ever witnessed; maybe even more than beating Kansas. Was so sweet being there with my dad and just 1,500 of us in the stands to have our loyalty rewarded that night.
If I had to pick one position it would be receiver. My favorite position. The skilled player. Like Randy Moss, a 6’4 210lb beast. Don’t get it twisted, this beast runs a 4.25 40. Runs crisp routes, great hands, feet, and vision. Football IQ? Let’s say he ain’t no dummy. Played multiple sports from track, basketball, and baseball. Really, he could have played pro basketball.
TO another great specimen of receiver whose football IQ is topnotch. Let’s not forget, having all these attributes physically you still have to have the ability to learn and retain. Both are not without drama in their life and TO known as the locker room obliterator. Part of the diva persona attached to the WR position. Such as Chad O. Good solid receiver but football IQ not so much. That was obvious when he played with the Patriots.
I say this because no matter how fast, big, or great a player is. Football IQ is a must. If they can’t learn, retain, and apply. Then they are not effective. So when recruiting let’s make sure players have the grades to make a great impact not just on the field but in the classroom. Oh yea, drama free.
#36 Hawaii and Illinois are ranked together in annual per capita income ($44,000 in 2012), but comparing in-state tuition at U of I is $15,000 versus $10,300 at UH leads to logical questions. I understand the legislatures concern when asking why the university rolled back part of their annual tuition increase and then came to the legislature poor mouthing. I realize the cost of living is different between Illinois and Hawaii, but the difference in tuition is still significant. While the additional funds requested by the UH are minimal, a full increase in tuition should have been sufficient to cover at least half of the request if not substantially more.
#51, Maybe the mission of the schools differ. I believe the original goal was to make UH affordable to the local people. Maybe Illinois has a larger population that can afford to keep UI operational though it may not be affordable to the lower income groups. I guess you could get creative and come up with financial help plans.
49.
Reggie Cross, man.
What I remember is that he didn’t show up to the 76ers’ rookie camp. He was holding out for more money, I guess.
Philadelphia didn’t have a first-round draft pick. Cross went in the 2nd. He thought he had leverage; he thought wrong.
When Reggie Carter passed away, I got my Reggies mixed up, and thought Cross had died, initially.
I never got to see Carter played. What I remember is buying the Street & Smith Basketball Preview magazine from the old Pearl City Holiday Mart, and my uncle pointing out to me a black and white photograph of Carter at St. John’s, and saying that this guy used to play for Hawaii.
When the late Chris Gaines was declared ineligible for the WAC season, Phil Lott stepped up and hit the game-winning shot against Air Force as a freshman in the season opener.
Sheriff Drammeh. I have faith in you.
I think Fleming has an inner-Russell Westbrook in him, and wants to put up 25 shots. Here is his chance.
Mike Thomas. You hustle, man. You are a crowd favorite. I’m in the stands. I know. Whenever you do something right, people get excited. I know you want to step up. Don’t. Just grab rebounds. Play strong defense. Let the game come to you. Don’t look for your own shot.
Why is Chris Gaines dead?
I get sick in the stomach thinking about it.
Reggie Cross was unstoppable inside. Amazing for his height which is like Alan Williams from Santa Barbara.
New post: http://hawaiiwarriorworld.com/?p=35298